Texas Tech Program Brings Literacy to East Lubbock

Texas Tech University is doing its part to promote literacy among the community.

As part of the U.S. Department of Education’s Neighborhood Promise grant, Texas Tech University created the East Lubbock Promise Neighborhood (ELPN), where one of the goals is to have families read to their children three times a week.

Two of the initiatives ELPN sponsors are the read-alouds hosted on Saturdays at the Patterson Branch Library, and Books in Public Places across East Lubbock (BIPP). The goal of the latter project, said Stephanie Shine, Texas Tech’s Early Childhood Program director, is to place books in all public places in East Lubbock where families visit, including clinics, barbershops and beauty salons.

The idea for BIPP was created when Shine said she was distributing flyers for the read-alouds, noticed families in waiting rooms of different businesses and realized there was an opportunity to promote reading.

“Other communities have also aimed to work with local businesses to promote reading on site — and this seemed like a great model for Lubbock,” Shine said. “Reading to the children is one of the best ways to help them get ready for school. There’s a warm personal connection that encourages them to enjoy books, there’s conversation about the book, and there’s great vocabulary for children.”

Book distribution to barbershops and beauty salons has already started, Shine said.

“As soon as we bring them in, children flock right over and take them to their parents, or sit looking at them,” Shine said. “Even the barbers and hair stylists read the books to children while they are working on their hair.”

The goal of the program, Shine said, is to help families read to their children as well as support a culture of early literacy in East Lubbock.

The community is invited to become involved in the book distribution through ELPN’s book wish list on Amazon.com. The wish list includes books such as “Bibbity Bop Barbershop,” “Chicka Chicka Boom Boom,” and “In My Family/En Mi Familia.”

“With the support of the Texas Tech community and other folks in Lubbock, we hope to put books everywhere, so that when children go places with their parents they run right in and want to read a book,” Shine said.

ELPN is one of seven recipients of the 2012 Department of Education Promise neighborhood grant ($24.5 million) and is committed to working with East Lubbock residents to support and advocate for children. The program has goals covering areas involving health, community, education and early learning. ELPN offers services for children and families in early learning, elementary school, middle school, high school and college as well as those with careers.